Nursing Studies Student receives an Undergraduate Award!
Nursing Studies Student, Esther Cherukara, is the Regional Winner in the Nursing and Midwifery category in the Undergraduate Awards.
The Undergraduate Awards (UA)announced the winners of the 2016 programme with entrants from across the University of Edinburgh featuring in top spots. Cited as the ultimate champion of high-potential undergraduates, and often referred to as a “junior Nobel Prize”, The Undergraduate Awards is the world’s largest international academic awards programme, recognising excellent research and original work across the sciences, humanities, business and creative arts.
The Undergraduate Awards received a record number of submission in the 2016 programme, totalling a massive 5,514 papers from undergraduates in 244 institutions and 121 nationalities.
Esther’s paper ‘The India Pad Project’ is the highest performing paper in the Europe region in the Nursing and Midwifery category. The Regional Winner is the highest performing Highly Commended paper within their region.
The India Pad Project was first created for the honours option in Global Public Health I took in third year. I had already decided to go to India for my clinical elective and so thought it would be a good idea to learn more about the country before I went. I have a strong interest in women’s health and upon doing some reading into the matter I realised that the topic of menstruation and reproductive health is still a very taboo topic in India. The project had several aims and was inspired by one of a similar nature already in place in Uganda.
The first aim was to provide women of all ages with a good education in reproductive health. The next was to provide sustainable jobs for women by teaching them how to manufacture and sell reusable sanitary products. These would then be available for all women, particularly adolescent girls as many are missing school because of their period. By providing them with proper sanitary products it would encourage school attendance allowing them to get a full education and go on to achieve their dreams.
As a student nurse at Edinburgh University I’ve always been encouraged to pursue my goals which is why I want to do the same for these women. Actually going to India for my clinical elective was an extraordinary experience. It has made me really appreciate how excellent the NHS really is and has made me all the more excited for qualifying as a nurse in 2017.
Well Done Esther- what an exciting project and well deserved award!
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